EP0874898A1 - Production de proteine c chez des animaux transgeniques - Google Patents

Production de proteine c chez des animaux transgeniques

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Publication number
EP0874898A1
EP0874898A1 EP96940607A EP96940607A EP0874898A1 EP 0874898 A1 EP0874898 A1 EP 0874898A1 EP 96940607 A EP96940607 A EP 96940607A EP 96940607 A EP96940607 A EP 96940607A EP 0874898 A1 EP0874898 A1 EP 0874898A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
protein
arg
dna
lys
leu
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EP96940607A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0874898B1 (fr
Inventor
Ian Garner
Ian Cottingham
Simon M. Temperley
Donald C. Foster
Cindy A. Sprecher
Donna E. Prunkard
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Zymogenetics Inc
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PPL Therapeutics Scotland Ltd
Zymogenetics Inc
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Priority claimed from PCT/US1996/018866 external-priority patent/WO1997020043A1/fr
Publication of EP0874898A1 publication Critical patent/EP0874898A1/fr
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Definitions

  • Protein C in its activated form plays an important role in regulating blood coagulation.
  • the activated protein C a serine protease, inactivates coagulation Factors Va and Villa by limited proteolysis.
  • the coagulation cascade initiated by tissue injury for example, is prevented from proceeding in an unimpeded chain-reaction beyond the area of injury by activated protein C.
  • the heavy and light chains circulate in the blood as a two-chain inactive protein, or zymogen, held together by a disulfide bond.
  • zymogen two-chain inactive protein, or zymogen
  • the N-terminal portion of the light chain contains nine ⁇ -carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues that are required for the calcium-dependent membrane binding and activation of the molecule.
  • Gla ⁇ -carboxyglutamic acid
  • Another blood protein, referred to as “protein S”, is believed to accelerate the protein C-catalyzed proteolysis of Factor Va.
  • Protein C has also been implicated in the action of tissue-type plasminogen activator (Kisiel et al . , Behring Inst . Mitt. 21:29-42, 1983) .
  • tissue-type plasminogen activator Infusion of bovine activated protein C (APC) into dogs results in increased plasminogen activator activity (Comp et al . , J. Clin. Invest . ££:1221-1228, 1981) .
  • Other studies Sakata et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • protein C may be clinically useful in the treatment of thrombosis.
  • Several studies with baboon models of thrombosis have indicated that activated protein C in low doses will be effective in prevention of fibrin deposition, platelet deposition and loss of circulation (Gruber et al . ,
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis 374a abstract 1.512, 1988;
  • protein C was purified from clotting factor concentrates (Marlar et al . , Blood £:1067-1072, 1982) or from plasma (Kisiel, J. Clin. Invest . ji:761-769, 1979) and activated in vi tro .
  • infectious agents as hepatitis virus, cytomegalovirus, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) make the process unfavorable.
  • the present invention provides methods for producing protein C in a transgenic animal comprising (a) providing a DNA construct comprising a first DNA segment encoding a secretion signal and a protein C propeptide operably linked to a second DNA segment encoding protein C, wherein the encoded protein C comprises a two-chain cleavage site modified from Lys-Arg to R1-R2-R3-R4, and wherein each of R 1.
  • -R4 is individually Lys or Arg, and wherein said first and second segments are operably linked to additional DNA segments required for expression of the protein C DNA in a lactating mammary gland of a host female animal; (b) introducing said DNA construct into a fertilized egg of a non-human mammalian species; (c) inserting said egg into an oviduct or uterus of a female of said species to obtain offspring carrying said DNA construct; (d) breeding said offsprinc, to produce female progeny that express said first and second DNA segments and produce milk containing protein C encoded by said second segment, wherein said protein has anticoagulant activity upon activation; (e) collecting milk from said female progeny; and (f) recovering the protein C from the milk.
  • RJ-R2-R3- 4 is Arg-Arg-Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 20) .
  • the method further comprises the step of activating the protein C.
  • the non- human mammalian species is selected from sheep, rabbits, cattle and goats.
  • each cf the first and second DNA segments comprises an intron.
  • the second DNA segment comprises a DNA sequence of nucleotides as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO:3.
  • the additional DNA segments comprise a transcriptional promoter selected from the group consisting of casein, ⁇ -lactoglooulin, ⁇ - lactoglobulin, ⁇ -lactalbumin and whey acidic protein gene promoters .
  • the present invention provides a transgenic non-human female mammal that produces recoverable amounts of human protein C in its milk, wherein at least 90% of the human protei.n C in the milk is two-chain protein C.
  • the present invention provides a process for producing a transgenic offspring of a mammal comprising the steps of (a) providing a DNA construct comprising a first DNA segment encoding a secretion signal and a protein C propeptic.e operably linked to a second DNA segment encoding protein C, wherein the encoded protein C comprises a two-chain cleavage site modified from Lys-Arg to R ⁇ _-R2-R3- 4/ and wherein each of R 1 ⁇ R 4 i s individually Lys or Arg, and wherein said first and second segments are operably linked to additional DNA segments required for expression of the protein C DNA in a lactating mammary gland of a host female animal; (b) introducing said DNA construct into a fertilized egg of a non-human mammalian species; and (c) inserting said egg into an oviduct or uterus of a female of said species to obtain offspring carrying said DNA construct.
  • the present invention provides non-human mammals produced according to the process for producing a transgenic offspring of a mammal comprising the steps of (a) providing a DNA construct comprising a first DNA segment encoding a secretion signal and a protein C propeptide operably linked to a second DNA segment encoding protein C, wherein the encoded protein C comprises a two-chain cleavage site modified from Lys-Arg to R 1 -R2 ⁇ R3- 4 , and wherein each of R 1 -R 4 is individually Lys or Arg, and wherein said first and second segments are operably linked to additional DNA segments required for expression of the protein C DNA in a lactating mammary gland of a host female animal; (b) introducing said DNA construct into a fertilized egg of a non-human mammalian species; and (c) inserting said egg into an oviduct or uterus of a female of said species to obtain offspring carrying said DNA construct.
  • the present invention provides a non-human mammalian embryo containing in its nucleus a heterologous DNA segment encoding protein C, wherein the encoded protein C comprises a two-chain cleavage site modified from Lys-Arg to R 1 -R2-R3 ⁇ 4, and wherein each of R1-R4 is individually Lys or Arg.
  • Figure 1 illustrates analysis of plasma-derived and transgenic protein C run under non-reducing and reducing conditions.
  • Lane 1 is plasma-derived protein C and lane 2 is transgenic protein C from the milk of sheep 30851.
  • Figure 3 illustrates clotting activity of transgenic protein C compared to plasma-derived protein C.
  • biologically active is used to denote protein C that is characterized by its anticoagulant and fibrinolytic properties. Protein C, when activated, inactivates factor Va and factor Villa in the presence of phospholipid and calcium. Activated protein C also enhances fibrinolysis, an effect believed to be mediated by the lowering of the levels of plasminogen activator inhibitors. As stated previously, two-chain protein C is activated upon cleavage of a 12 amino acid peptide from the amino terminus of the heavy chain portion of the zymogen.
  • egg is used to denote an unfertilized ovum, a fertilized ovum prior to fusion of the pronuclei or an early stage embryo (fertilized ovum with fused pronuclei) .
  • a "female mammal that produces milk containing biologically active protein C” is one that, following pregnancy and delivery, produces, during the lactation period, milk containing recoverable amounts of protein C that can be activated to be biologically acti.ve. Those skilled in the art will recognized that such animals will naturally produce milk, and therefore the protein C, discontinuously.
  • progeny is used in its usual sense to include offspring and descendants.
  • heterologous is used to denote genetic material originating from a different species than that into which it has been introduced, or a protein produced from such genetic material .
  • transgenic animal technology is employed to produce protein C within a mammary gland of a host female mammal . Expression in the mammary gland and subsequent secretion of the protein of interest into the milk overcomes many difficulties encountered in isolating proteins from other sources. Milk is readily collected, available in large quantities, and well characterized biochemically. Furthermore, the major milk proteins are present in milk at high concentrations (from about 1 to 16 g/1) .
  • mice and rats can be used (and are preferred at the proof-of-concept stage)
  • livestock mammals including sheep and cattle. Sheep are particularly preferred due to such factors as the previous history of transgenesis in this species, milk yield, generation time, cost and the ready availability of equipment for collecting sheep milk. It is generally desirable to select a breed of host animal that has been bred for dairy use, such as East Friesland sheep, or to introduce dairy stock by breeding of the transgenic line at a later date. In any event, animals of known, good health status should be used.
  • human genomic DNAs encoding protein C are used.
  • the human protein C gene is composed of nine exons ranging in size from 25 to 885 nucleotides, and seven introns ranging in size from 92 to 2668 nucleotides (U.S. Patent 4,959,318, incorporated herein by reference) .
  • the first exon is non-coding and referred to as exon 0.
  • exon II, exon III, exon IV, exon V and a portion of exon VI code for the light chain of protein C.
  • exon VI, exon VII and exon VIII code for the heavy chain of protein C.
  • a representative human genomic DNA sequence and corresponding amino acid sequence are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2, respectively.
  • a representative human protein C cDNA sequence and corresponding amino acid sequences are shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 and 4, respectively.
  • allelic variants of these sequences will exist; that additional variants can be generated by amino acid substitution, deletion, or insertion; and that such variants are useful within the present invention.
  • any engineered variants comprise only a limited number of amino acid substitutions, deletions, or insertions, and that any substitutions are conservative.
  • protein C polypeptides that are at least 90%, and more preferably at least 95% or more identical in sequence to the corresponding native protein.
  • the proteolytic processing involved in the maturation of recombinant protein C from single chain form to the two- hain form has been enhanced by modifying the amino acid sequence around the two-chain cleavage site.
  • endoproteolytic cleavage of the precursor molecule at the Arg 157 -Asp 158 bond and the removal of the dipeptide Lys 156 -Arg 157 by a carboxypeptidase activity generate the light and heavy chains of protein C prior to secretion.
  • Protein C may contain up to 40% or more uncleaved, single-chain protein C (Grinnel et al . , in Protein C and Related Anticoagulants, eds . , Bruley and Drohan, Gulf, Houston, pp. 29-63, 1990; Suttie, Thromb. Res. 4.4:129-134, 1986 and Yan et al . , Trends Biochem. Sci. 14_:264-268, 1989) .
  • the single-chain form of protein C may not be able to be activated.
  • the cleavage site may be in the form of the amino acid sequence R1-R2- 3-R4, wherein each of RI through R4 is individually lysine (Lys) or arginine (Arg) .
  • Particularly preferred sequences include Arg-Arg-Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 20) and Lys-Arg-Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 21) .
  • the present invention provides for recoverable amounts of human protein C in the milk of a non-human mammal, where at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, of the human protein C is two-chain protein C.
  • a transcription promoter from a milk protein gene is used.
  • Milk protein genes include those genes encoding caseins, beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) , ⁇ -lactalbumin, and whey acidic protein.
  • the beta-lactoglobulin promoter is preferred.
  • a region of at least the proximal 406 bp of 5 ' flanking sequence of the ovine BLG gene (contained within nucleotides 3844 to 4257 of SEQ ID NO: 5) will generally be used. Larger portions of the 5' flanking sequence, up to about 5 kb, are preferred.
  • a larger DNA segment encompassing the 5' flanking promoter region and the region encoding the 5 ' non-coding portion of the beta-lactoglobulin gene is particularly preferred. See Whitelaw et al . , Biochem J. 286 : 31-39, 1992. Similar fragments of promoter DNA from other species are also suitable. Other regions of the beta-lactoglobulin gene may also be incorporated in constructs, as may genomic regions of the gene to be expressed. It is generally accepted in the art that constructs lacking introns, for example, express poorly in the transgenic lactating mammary gland in comparison with those constructs that contain introns (see Brinster et al . , Proc.
  • One such region is a DNA segment which provides for intron splicing and RNA polyadenylation from the 3 ' non-coding region of the ovine beta-lactoglobulin gene. When substituted for the natural 3 ' non-coding sequences of a gene, this ovine beta-lactoglobulin segment can both enhance and stabilize expression levels of the protein C.
  • ON ⁇ segments encoding protein C are operably linked to additional DNA segments required for their expression to produce expression units.
  • One such additional segment is the above-mentioned milk protein gene promoter. Sequences allowing for termination of transcription and polyadenylation of mRNA may also be incorporated. Such sequences are well known in the art, for example, one such termination sequence is the "upstream mouse sequence" (McGeady et al . , DNA 5:289-298,1986) .
  • the expression units will further include a DNA segment encoding a secretion signal operably linked to the segme: ⁇ t encoding the protein C polypeptide chain.
  • the secretion signal may be a native protein C secretion signal or may be that of another protein, such as a milk protein.
  • secretion signal is used herein to denote that portion of a protein that directs it through the secretory pathway of a cell to the outside. Secretion signals are most commonly found at the amino termini of proteins. See, for example, von Heinje, Nuc. Acids Res. 14 : 4683-4690, 1986; and Meade et al. , U.S. Patent No. 4,873,316, which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • Construction of expression units is conveniently carried out by inserting a protein C sequence into a plasmid or phage vector containing the additional DNA segments, although the expression unit may be constructed by essentially any sequence of ligations. It is particularly convenient to provide a vector containing a DNA segment encoding a milk protein and to replace the coding sequence for the milk protein with that of a protein C (including a secretion signal) , thereby creating a gene fusion that includes the expression control sequences of the milk protein gene. In any event, cloning of the expression units in plasmids or other vectors facilitates the amplification of the protein C sequences. Amplification is conveniently carried out in bacterial (e.g. E. coli ) host cells, thus the vectors will typically include an origin of replication and a selectable marker functional in bacterial host cells.
  • bacterial e.g. E. coli
  • the expression unit is then introduced into fertilized eggs (including early-stage embryos) of the chosen host species.
  • Introduction of heterologous DNA can be accomplished by one of several routes, including pronuclear microinjection (e.g. U.S. Patent No. 4,873,191) , retroviral infection (Jaenisch, Science 240 : 1468-1474, 1988) or site-directed integration using embryonic stem (ES) cells (reviewed by Bradley et al . , Bio/Technology 10 : 534-539, 1992) .
  • the eggs are then implanted into the oviducts or uteri of pseudopregnant females and allowed to develop to term.
  • the expression units are removed from their respective vectors by digestion with appropriate restriction enzymes .
  • the expression units are recovered by conventional methods, such as electro-elution followed by phenol extraction and ethanol precipitation, sucrose density gradient centrifugation, or combinations of these approaches.
  • DNA is injected into eggs essentially as described in Hogan et al . , ibid.
  • eggs in a dish of an embryo culture medium are located using a stereo zoom microscope (x50 or x63 magnification preferred) .
  • Suitable media include Hepes (N-2- hydroxyethylpiperazine-N' -2-ethanesulphonic acid) or bicarbonate buffered media such as M2 or M16 (available from Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, USA) or synthetic oviduct medium (disclosed below) .
  • the eggs are secured and transferred to the center of a glass slide on an injection rig using, for example, a drummond pipette complete with capillary tube. Viewing at lower (e.g.
  • x4) magnification is used at this stage.
  • the eggs are positioned centrally on the slide. Individual eggs are sequentially secured to the holding pipette for injection.
  • the holding pipette/egg is positioned in the center of the viewing field.
  • the injection needle is then positioned directly below the egg.
  • both manipulator heights are adjusted to focus both the egg and the r.eedle .
  • the pronuclei are located by rotating the egg and adjusting the holding pipette assembly as necessary. Once the pronucleus has been located, the height of the manipulator is altered to focus the pronuclear membrane.
  • the injection needle is positioned below the egg such that the needle tip is in a position below the center of the pronucleus.
  • the position of the needle is then altered using the injection manipulator assembly to bring the needle and the pronucleus into the same focal plane.
  • the needle is moved, via the joy stick on the injection manipulator assembly, to a position to the right of the egg. With a short, continuous jabbing movement, the pronuclear membrane is pierced to leave the needle tip inside the pronucleus.
  • Pressure is applied to the injection needle via, for example, a glass syringe until the pronucleus swells to approximately twice its volume. At this point, the needle is slowly removed. Reverting to lower (e.g.
  • the injected egg is moved to a different area of the slide, and the process is repeated with another egg.
  • the eggs may be cultured to allow the pronuclei to fuse, producing one- cell or later stage embryos.
  • tine eggs are cultured at approximately the body temperature of the species used in a buffered medium containing balanced salts and serum.
  • Surviving embryos are then transferred to pseudopregnant recipient females, typically by inserting them into the oviduct or uterus, and allowed to develop to term.
  • pseudopregnant recipient females typically by inserting them into the oviduct or uterus, and allowed to develop to term.
  • some of the injected DNA integrates in a random fashion m the genomes of a small number of the developing embryos.
  • transgenic offspring are screened via blood samples and/or tissue biopsies. DNA is prepared from these samples and examined for the presence of the injected construct by techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR; see Mullis, U.S. Patent No. 4,683,202) and Southern blotting (Southern, J. Mol. Biol. 2£:503, 1975; Maniatis et al , Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1982)
  • Founder transgenic animals, or GOs may be wholly transgenic, having transgenes in all of their cells, or mosaic, having transgenes in only a subset of cells (see, for example, Wilkie et al . , Develop. Biol. 118 • 9-18, 1986) .
  • groups of germ cells may be wholly or partially transgenic.
  • the number of transgenic progeny from a founder animal will be less than the expected 50% predicted from Mendelian principles.
  • Founder GO animals are grown to sexual maturity and mated to obtain offspring, or Gls The Gls are also examined for the presence of the transgene to demonstrate transmission from founder GO animals In the case of male GOs, these may be mated with several non-transgenic females to generate many offspring This increases the chances of observing transgene transmission.
  • Female GO founders may be mated naturally, artificially inseminated or superovulated to obtain many eggs which are transferred to surrogate mothers.
  • heterologous protein will be expected to differ between individuals.
  • a satisfactory family of animals should satisfy three criteria: they should be derived from the same founder GO animal; they should exhibit stable transmission of the transgene; and they should exhibit acceptably stable expression levels from generation to generation and from lactation to lactation of individual aninals . These principles have been demonstrated and discussed (Carver et al . , Bio/Technology 11 : 1263-1270, 1993) .
  • /_nimals from such a suitable family are referred to a ⁇ a "line.”
  • male animals, GO or Gl are used to derive a flock or herd of producer animals by natural or artificial insemination. In this way, many female animals containing the same transgene integration event can be quickly generated from which a supply of milk can be oktained.
  • the protein C is recovered from milk using standard practices such as skimming, precipitation, filtration and protein chromatography techniques.
  • Protein C produced according to the present invention can be activated by removal of the activation peptide from the amino terminus of the heavy chain. Activation can be achieved using methods that are well known in the art, for example, using -thrombin (Marlar et al., Blood 52:1067-1072, 1982) , trypsin (Marlar et al . ,
  • the protein C molecules provided by the present invention and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are particularly useful for administration to humans to treat a variety of conditions involving intravascular coagulation. For instance, although deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism can be treated with conventional anticoagulants, the activated protein C described herein may be used to prevent the occurrence of thromboembolic complications in identified high risk patients, such as those undergoing surgery or those with congestive heart failure.
  • activated protein C Since activated protein C is more selective than heparin, being active in the body generally when and where thrombin is generated and fibrin thrombi are formed, activated protein C will be more effective and less likely to cause bleeding complications than heparin when used prophylactically for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis.
  • the dose of activated protein C for prevention of deep vein thrombosis is in the range of about 100 ⁇ g to 100 mg/day, and administration should begin at least about 6 hours prior to surgery and continue at least until the patient becomes ambulatory. In established deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism, the dose of activated protein C ranges from about 100 ⁇ g to 100 mg as a loading dose followed by maintenance doses ranging from 3 to 300 mg/day. Because of the lower likelihood of bleeding complications from activated protein C infusions, activated protein C can replace or lower the dose of heparin during or after surgery in conjunction with thrombectomies or embolectomies.
  • the activated protein C compositions of the present invention will also have substantial utility in the prevention of cardiogenic emboli and in the treatment of thrombotic strokes. Because of its low potential for causing bleeding complications and its selectivity, activated protein C can be given to stroke victims and may prevent the extension of the occluding arterial thrombus. The amount of activated protein C administered will vary with each patient depending on the nature and severity of the stroke, but doses will generally be in t.he range of those suggested below. Pharmaceutical compositions of activated protein
  • activated protein C provided herein will be a useful treatment in acute myocardial infarction because of the ability of activated protein C to enhance in vi tro fibrinolysis.
  • Activated protein C can be given with tissue plasminogen activator or streptokinase during the acute phases of the myocardial infarction. After the occluding coronary thrombus is dissolved, activated protein C can be given for subsequent days or weeks to prevent coronary reocculsion .
  • the patient is given a loading dose of at least about 1-500 mg of activated protein C, followed by maintenance doses of 1-100 mg/day.
  • Activated protein C is useful in the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DICi .
  • Patients with DIC characteristically have widespread microcirculatory thrombi and often severe bleeding problems which result from consumption o:: essential clotting factors.
  • activated protein C will not aggravate the bleeding problems associated with DIC, as do conventional anticoagulants, but will retard or inhibit the formation of additional microvascular fibrin deposits.
  • the multiple cloning site of the vector pUC18 (Yanisch-Perron et al . , Gene 11:103-119, 1985) was removed and replaced with a synthetic double stranded oligonucleotide (the strands of which are shovin in SEQ ID NO: 6 and SEQ ID NO: 7) containing the restriction sites Pvu I/Mlu I/Eco RV/Xba I/Pvu i/Mlu I, and flanked by 5' overhangs compatible with the restriction sites Eco RI and Hind III.
  • pUCl ⁇ was cleaved with both Eco RI and Hind III, the 5 1 terminal phosphate groups were removed with calf intestinal phosphatase, and the oligonucleotide was ligated into the vector backbone.
  • the DNA sequence across the junction was confirmed by sequencing, and the new plasmid was called pUCPM.
  • the b-lactoglobulin (BLG) gene sequences from pSSltgXS (disclosed in WIPO publication WO 88/00239) were excised as a Sal I-Xba I fragment and recloned into the vector pUCPM that had been cut with Sal I and Xba I to construct vector pUCXS .
  • pUCXS is thus a pUC18 derivative containing the entire BLG gene from the Sal I site to the Xba I site of phage SSI (Ali and Clark, J. Mol. Biol. 199 : 415-426, 1988) .
  • the plasmid pSSltgSE (disclosed in WIPO publication WO 88/00239) contains a 1290 bp BLG fragment flanked by Sph I and EcoR I restriction sites, a region spanning a unique Not I site and a single Pvu II site which lies in the 5' untranslated leader of the BLG mRNA.
  • pSSltgSE/RV The plasmid pSSltgSE/RV.
  • DNA sequences bounded by Sph I and Not I restriction sites in pSSltgSE/RV were excised by enzymatic digestion and used to replace the equivalent fragment in pUCXS.
  • the resulting plasmid was called pUCXSRV.
  • the sequence of the BLG insert in pUCXSRV is shown in SEQ ID NO: 5, with the unique Eco RV site at nucleotide 4245 in the 5' untranslated leader region of the BLG gene. This site allows insertion of any additional DNA sequences under the control of the BLG promoter 3 ' to the transcription initiation site.
  • BLGAMP3 (5'-TGG ATC CCC TGC CGG TGC CTC TGG-3' ; SEQ ID NO: 8) and BLGAMP4 (5'-AAC GCG TCA TCC TCT GTG AGC CAG-3 ' ; SEQ ID NO: 9) a PCR fragment of approximately 650 bp was produced from sequences immediately 3* to the stop codon of the ELG gene in pUCXSRV.
  • the PCR fragment was engineered to have a BamH I site at its 5' end and an Mlu I site at its 3' end and was cloned as such into BamH I and Mlu I cut pGEM7zf(+) (Promega) to give pDAM200 (+) .
  • pUCXSRV was digested with Kpn I , and the largest, vector containing band was gel purified. This band contained the entire pUC plasmid sequences and some 3' non-coding sequences from the BLG gene.
  • pDAM200(+) Into this backbone was ligated the small Kpn I fragment from pDAM200(+) which, in the correct orientation, effectively engineered a Bam HI site at the extreme 5 ' end of the 2.6 Kbp of the BLG 3' flanking region.
  • This plasmid was called pBLAC200.
  • a 2.6 Kbp Cla I-Xba I fragment from pBLAC200 was ligated into Cla I-Xba I cut pSP72 vector
  • This plasmid was called pBLAC210.
  • SEQ ID NO: 23 This, in effect, excised all coding and intron sequences from pUCXSRV, forming a BLG minigene consisting of 4.2 Kbp of 5' promoter and 2.6 Kbp of 3' downstream sequences flanking a unique Eco R site .
  • An oligonucleotide linker (ZC6839: ACTACGTAGT; SEC ID NO: 10) was inserted into the Eco RV site of pMAD6 (SEQ ID NO: 23) . This modification destroyed the Eco EV site and created a Sna BI site to be used for cloning purposes.
  • the vector was designated pMAD6-Sna.
  • RNA initiates upstream of the Sna BI site and terminates downstream of the Sna BI site.
  • the precursor transcript will encode a single BLG-derived intron, intron 6, which is entirely within the 3' untranslated region oE the gene.
  • the beta-lactoglobulin cloning vector pMAD was also constructed to allow the insertion of cDNAs under the control of the beta-lactoglobulin gene promoter in constructs containing no introns.
  • the plasmid pBLAClOO was opened by digestion with both Eco RV and Sal I .
  • the vector fragment was gel purified and the linearized vector was ligated with the 4.2 kb promoter fragment from the plasmid pUCXSRV as a Sal I-Eco RV fragment.
  • the resulting construct was designated pSTl and constitutes a beta-lactoglobulin mini-gene encompassing a 4.2 kb of promoter region and 2.1 kb of 3' non-coding region beginning immediately downstream of the beta- lactoglobuling translational termination codon.
  • a unique Eco RV site allows blun -end cloning of any additional DNA sequences.
  • the minigene was excised from pSTl on a Xho I-Not I fragment, the DNA termini made flush with Klenow polymerase and the product was ligated into the Eco RV site of pUCPM to yield pMAD. Digestion with Mlu I liberates beta-lactoglobulin-cDNA constructs from the bacterial vector backbone.
  • Intronless constructs based on cDNAs and vectors such as pMAD benefit from the use of "rescue technology" for efficient expression.
  • Rescue technology takes advantage of the ability of a co-injected and co- integrated BLG gene to improve the expression levels obtained from intronless, cDNA-based constructs in the transgenic system.
  • Rescue technology is disclosed in WIPO publication WO 92/11358, and is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the vector pDX was derived from pD3 , which was generated from plasmid pDHFRIII (Berkner et al . , Nuc. Acids Res. 11:841-857, 1985) .
  • the Pst I site immediately upstream from the DHFR sequence in pDHFRIII W ⁇ IS converted to a Bel I site by digestion with Pst I.
  • the DNA was phenol extracted, ethanol precipitated and resuspended in buffer B (50 mM Tris pH 8, 7 mM MgCl 2 , 7 mM ⁇ -MSH) .
  • buffer B 50 mM Tris pH 8, 7 mM MgCl 2 , 7 mM ⁇ -MSH
  • the resulting plasmid was phenol extracted, ethanol precipitated and digested with Bel I and gel purified.
  • the gel purified plasmid DNA was circularized by ligation and used to transform E. coli HB101. Positive colonies were identified by restriction analysis and designated pDHFR' . DNA from positive colonies was isolated and used to transform da " E. coli .
  • Plasmid pD2 ' was generated by cleaving pDHFR' and pSV40 (comprising Bam HI digested SV40 DNA cloned into the Bam HI site of pML-1 (Lusky et al . , Nature 221:79-81, 1981) ) with Bel I and Bam HI. The DNA fragments were resolved by gel electrophoresis, and the 4.9 kb pDHFR' fragment and 0.2 kb SV40 fragment were isolated. These fragments were used in a ligation reaction, and the resulting plasmid, designated pD2 ' , was used to transform E. coli RRI.
  • Plasmid pD2 ' was modified by deleting the "poison" sequences in the pBR322 region (Lusky et al . , 1981, ibid.) . Plasmids pD2 ' and pML-l were digested with Eco RI and Nru I. The 1.7 kb pD2 ' fragment and 1.8 kb pML-1 fragment were isolated by gel purification, circularized in a ligation reaction and used to transform E. coli HB101. Positive colonies were identified using restriction analysis (designated pD2) and digested with Eco RI and Bel I. A 2.8 kb fragment (fragment C) was isolated and gel purified.
  • pDHFRIII was modified to convert the Sac II (Sst II) site into either a Hind III or Kpn I site.
  • pDHFRIII was digested with Sst II and ligation reactions with either Hind III or Kpn I linkers were done.
  • the resultant plasmids were digested with either Hind III or Kpn I and gel purified.
  • the resultant plasmids were designated either pDHFRIII (Hind III) or pDHFRIII (Kpn I) .
  • a 700 bp Kpnl-Bgl II fragment (fragment A) was purified from pDHFRIII (Hind III) .
  • the SV40 enhancer sequence was inserted into pDHFRIII (Hind III) by first digesting SV40 DNA with Hind III, and DNA from 5089 to 968 bp was isolated and purified. Plasmid pDHFRIII (Hind III) was phosphatased, and the SV40 DNA and linearized plasmid pDHFRIII (Hind III) were used in a ligation reaction. A 700 bp Eco RI- Kpn I fragment (fragment B) was isolated from the resulting plasmid.
  • fragments A (50 ng) , B (50 ng) and C (10 ng) were combined in a ligation reaction and used to transform E. coli RRI. Positive colonies were isolated and plasm] d DNA was prepared.
  • Plasmid pD3 was modified to accept the insertion of the protein C sequence by converting the Bel I insertion site to an Eco RI site.
  • the Eco RI site present in pD3 (the leftmost terminus in adenovirus 5 0-1) was converted to a Bam HI site via conventional linkering procedures.
  • the resultant plasmid was transformed in E. coli HB101.
  • Plasmid DNA was prepared, and positive clones were identified by restriction analysis.
  • pD3 ' is a vector identical to pD3 except that the SV40 polyadenylation signal (i.e., the £V40 Bam HI (2533 bp) to Bel I (2770 bp) fragment) is in the late orientation.
  • pD3 ' contains a Bam HI site as the site of gene insertion.
  • pDX the Eco RI site in pD3 ' was converted to a Bel I site by Eco RI cleavage, incubation with SI nuclease and subsequent ligation with Bel I linkers. DNA was prepared from a positively identified colony, and a 1.9 kb Xho I-Pst I fragment containing the altered restriction site was prepared via gel purification.
  • Bel I-cleaved pD3 was ligated with Eco RI-Bcl I adapters in order to generate an Eco RI site as the position for inserting a gene into the expression vector. Positive colonies were identified by restriction analysis.
  • the resulting plasmid, designated pDX has a unique Eco RI site for insertion of foreign genes.
  • the protein C cDNA was inserted into pDX as an Eco RI fragment. Plasmids were screened by restriction analysis. A plasmid having the protein C insert in the correct orientation with respect to the promoter elements and plasmid DNA was designated pDX/PC. Because the cDNA insert in pDX/PC contains a ATG codon in the 5' non-coding region, deletion mutagenesis was performed on the cDNA. Deletion of the three base pairs was performed according to standard procedures or oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The pDX-based vector containing the modified cDNA was designated p594.
  • the mutant molecule was generated by altering the cloned cDNA by site-specific mutagenesis (essentially as described by Zoller and Smith, DNA 1:479-488, 1984, for the two-primer method) using the mutagenic oligonucleotide ZC962 ( 5 'AGTCACCTGAGAAGAAAACGAGACA 3 ' ; SEQ ID NO: 11) .
  • Plasmid ⁇ 594 was digested with Sst I, and the approximately 87 bp fragment was cloned into M13mpll and single-stranded template DNA was isolated. Following mutagenesis, a correct clone was identified by sequencing.
  • the cDNA contained in pEX/PC962 was modified to incorporate Eco RV sites at the extremities of the protein C cDNA insert.
  • a 769 bp Sst II-Pst I fragment encompassing the 3 ' end of PC962 was cloned between the Sst II and Pst I sites of pBluescript II SK® (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) . The fragment was excised with Sst II and Eco RV and purified.
  • the 5' portion of PC962 was modified by PCR.
  • the sense oligonucleotide prime] for this reaction covered the 5 ' ATG region of the cDNA and provided an Eco RV site upstream of this in the product .
  • the antisense oligonucleotide primer covered the Sst II site used to generate the Sst 11-Eco RV fragment.
  • the resulting PCR product was digested with Eco RV and Sst II and ligated with the Sst II-Eco RV 3 1 fragment and Eco RV digested pMAD.
  • the resulting plasmid, designated pCORP9 effectively contained the PC962 cDNA flanked by Eco RV sites in an intronless fusion driven by the beta- lactoglobulin promoter.
  • a genomic DNA construct containing exons I through VIII was made. See, U.S. Patent 4,955,318, which is incorporated herein by reference, for disclcsure of the exon structure of the protein C gene.
  • This genomic construct designated GPClO-1, changed the sequence 16 base pairs upstream of the ATG from the nativ ⁇ protein C sequence to the beta-lactoglobulin sequence and introduced mutations in the propeptide cleavage site located in exon 2, and the two-chain cleavage site located in exon 6, as described below.
  • the construct was assembled using four fragments designated A, B, C and D and encompassed the protein C gene sequence from the ATG to a Bam HI site in exon VIII, immediately upstream of the stop codon.
  • the fragments were generated from a human genomic library in ⁇ Charon 4A phage that was screened with a radiolabeled cDNA probe for human protein C.
  • the screening of the ⁇ library produced three clones that together mapped the entire protein C gene (Foster et al . , 1985, ibid.) . These clones were designated PC ⁇ l, PC ⁇ 6 and PC ⁇ 8.
  • Fragment A was a Not I to Eco RI fragment that contained exons I and II of the genomic sequence and was 1698 bp.
  • a subclone of PC ⁇ 6 contained an Eco RI to Eco RI fragment and was designated pHCR4.4-l.
  • pHCR4.4-l as a template and oligonucleotides ZC6303 (SEQ ID NO: 12) and ZC6337 (SEQ ID NO: 13) , a DNA fragment was generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) .
  • Oligonucleotide ZC6303 changed the sequence 16 base pairs 5 ' to the ATG sequence from the native protein C sequence to the equivalent sequence from the beta-lactoglobulin gene and introduced a Not I site.
  • Oligonucleotide ZC6337 changed the propeptide cleavage site from Arg-lie-Arg-Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 24) to Gln-Arg-Arg-Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 25) .
  • the resulting PCR- generated fragment was digested with Not I and Bss HII, and a 1402 base pair fragment was gel purified and designated Al .
  • a second fragment was prepared using a ⁇ gtll clone of PC ⁇ l as a template with oligonucleotides ZC6306 (SEQ ID NO: 14) and ZC6338 (SEQ ID NO: 15) in a polymerase chain reaction.
  • the resulting DNA fragment designated A3, was digested with Bss HII and Eco RI and gel purified, resulting in a 296 base pair fragment. Fragments Al and A3 were ligated into the Bluescript II KS ® phagemid vector (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) .
  • the resulting plasmid designated GPC 2-2, was digested with Not I and Eco RI, gel purified and the Not I-Eco RI DNA fragment was designated Fragment A.
  • pCR 2-14 is a subclone that contains an Eco RI to Eco RI DNA fragment of PC ⁇ 8 (Foster et al . , 1985, ibid.) .
  • the plasmid was digested with Eco RI and Sst I and gel purified. The resulting fragment was designated Fragment B.
  • Plasmid pCR 2-14 was used as template DNA with oligonucleotides ZC6373 (SEQ ID NO: 16) and ZC6305 (SEQ ID NO: 17) , which introduced an Afl II site and the RRKR mutation of the native (KR) two-chain cleavage site, in a polymerase chain reaction.
  • the resulting PCR-generated fragment was digested with Bgl II and Afl II and gel purified, resulting in a 1441 base pair fragment, designated El.
  • Fragment El was used in a ligation reaction with oligonucleotides ZC6302 (SEQ ID NO: 18) and ZC6304 (SEQ ID NO: 19) .
  • oligonucleotic.es form Afl II and Sst II restriction sites when annealed and were ligated to the 3' end of fragment El, resulting in a fragment with a 5' Bgl II site and a 3' Sst II site.
  • This fragment was used in a ligation reaction with a Bam HI-Sst II digested Bluescript II KS® phagemid vector (Stratagene) .
  • the resulting plasmid was designated GPC 8- 5 and digested with Sst I and Sst II, generating a 626 base pair fragment, designated Fragment C.
  • a fourth fragment was generated by digestion of a genomic subclone (pHCB7-l) of PC ⁇ .
  • pHCB7-l contained a Bgl II to Bgl II fragment that encompassed exons VI through VIII.
  • pHCB7-l was digested with Sst I V. and Bam HI and a 2702 base pair fragment was gel pur fied. The fragment was designated Fragment D.
  • a five-part ligation reaction was prepared using Not I and Bam HI digested and linearized Bluescript II KS® phagemid vector (Stratagene) with Fragment A (5 1 Not I to 3' Eco RI) that contained exons I and II, Fragment B (5' Eco RI to 3' Sst I) that contained exons III, IV and V, Fragment C (5' Sst I to 3 ' Sst II) that contained the 5' portion of exon VI and Fragment D (5' Sst II to 3' Bam HI) that contained the remaining 3' portion of exon VI and exons VII and VIII.
  • the resulting DNA was 8950 base pairs and designated GPC 10-1.
  • GPClO-1 was originally generated with BLG sequences and a Not I site upstream of the ATG initiator codon and modifications to both cleavage sites.
  • a clone designated pPC12/BS, was generated to ensure that the 5" Not I site of GPClO-1 would not introduce secondary structure into mRNA molecules that could hinder translation.
  • pPC12/BS was generated using PCR amplification of a 1 kb Not I-Sca I fragment that covered the 5 ' region of the protein C gene and contained the wild-type ATG codon environment. This introduced an Eco RV site immediately downstream of the Not I site, adjacent to the ATG codon, and a Bam HI site was incorporated 3' of the Sea I site to facilitate cloning. Following a Not I/Bam HI digestion, the PCR product was cloned into Not I- Bam HI digested Bluescript II KS® phagemid vector
  • GPClO-1 and GPC10-2 both terminated at the final Bam HI site in exon VIII of the protein C gene.
  • two oligonucleotides were synthesized with flanking Bam HI (5 1 ) and Bgl II (3') restriction sites. Following annealing of the oligonucleotides, the product was cloned into Bam HI digested pBST+ to generate plasmid pPC3 ' .
  • pBST+ is a derivative of pBS (Stratagene) with a new polylinker.
  • the addition of the polylinker added Bgl II, Xho I, Nar I and Cla I restriction sites from the vector polylinker downstream of the destroyed Bgl II site of the oligonucleotide construct.
  • the Not I-Bam HI fragment of GPClO-1 was subcloned into Not I/Bam HI digested pPC3 ' to add 3 ' coding sequences of protein C, the TAG termination codon followed by Bgl II-Xho I-Nar I-Cla I.
  • the 3' region of the protein C gene beginning with the Eco RV site in intron V was excised from this plasmid on an Eco RV-Cla I fragment .
  • a further genomic construct was generated from pCORP13 that contained only the modified two-chain cleavage site. This was achieved using PCR amplification to modify two fragments which resulting in restoration of the coding capability of exon 2 from the mutant Gln-Arg- Arg-Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 25) to the wild-type Arg-Ile-Arg- Lys-Arg (SEQ ID NO: 24) .
  • pC0RP13 was used as template for these reactions.
  • the first fragment was 1.3 kb, which encompassed the 5 ' end of the protein C gene up to the Bam HI site in exon 2.
  • the sense primer was designed to add a Hind III site 5' to the Eco RV site proximal to the ATG initiation codon.
  • the antisense primer was designed to restore the wild-type sequences in exon 2, which included a restored Bam HI site.
  • a second fragment of 0.2 kb from the Bam HI site in exon 2 to the Xho I site in intron 2 was also amplified. The two fragments were combined in pGEMII (Promega, Madison, WI) to generate pGEMPCl.5.
  • a 7.5 kb Xho I fragment from pCORP 13 was ligated to Xho I digested pGEMPCl .5 to generate a complete protein C genomic sequence covering exons 1-8 with a wild-type propeptide cleavage site and a modified two-chain cleavage site.
  • the plasmid was designated pGEMPC14.
  • the sequence was excised from pGE_IPC14 as a Hind Ill/Sal I fragment.
  • the DNA termini were repaired using a Klenow reaction and the fragment was blunt-end ligated into Eco RV digested pMAD6 (SEQ ID NTO: 23) to generate pCORP14.
  • SEQ ID NTO: 23 Eco RV digested pMAD6
  • mice for initial breeding stocks were obtained from Harlan Olac Ltd. (Bicester, UK) . These were mated in pairs to produce FI hybrid cross (B6CBAF1) for recipient females, superovulated females, stud males and vasectomized males. All animals were kept on a 14 hour light/10 hour dark cycle and fed water and food (Special Diet Services RM3 , Edinburgh, Scotland) ad libiturn.
  • Transgenic mice were generated essentially as described in Hogan et al . , Manipulating the Mouse Embryo: A Laboratory Manual . Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1986, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
  • Female B6CBAF1 animals were superovulated at 4-5 weeks of age by an i.p. injection of pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (FOLLIGON, Vet-Drug, Falkirk, Scotland) (5 iu) followed by an i.p. injection of human chorionic gonadotrophin (CHORULON, Vet-Drug, Falkirk, Scotland) (5 iu) 45 hours later. They were then mated with a stud male overnight. Such females were next examined for copulation plugs. Those that had mated were sacrificed, and their eggs were collected for microinjection.
  • FLLIGON pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin
  • human chorionic gonadotrophin CHORULON, Vet-Drug, Falkirk, Scotland
  • DNA was injected into the fertilized eggs as described in Hogan et al . (ibid.) . Briefly, the vector containing the protein C expression unit was digested with Mlu I, and the expression unit was isolated by sucrose gradient centrifugation. All chemicals used were reagent grade (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.) , and all solutions were sterile and nuclease-free. Solutions of 20% and 40% sucrose in 1 M NaCl, 20 mM Tris pH 8.0, 5 mM EDTA were prepared using UHP water and filter sterilized. A 30% sucrose solution was prepared by mixing equal volumes of the 20% and 40% solutions.
  • a gradient was prepared by layering 0.5 ml steps of the 40%, 30% and 20% sucrose solutions into a 2 ml polyallomer tube and allowed to stand for one hour. 100 ⁇ l of DNA solution (max. 8 ⁇ g DNA) was loaded onto the top of the gradient, and the gradient was centrifuged for 17-20 hours at 26,000 rpm, 15°C in a Beck an TL100 ultracentrifuge usirg a TLS-55 rotor (Beckman Instruments, Fullerton, CA, USA) . Gradients were fractionated by puncturing the tube bottom with a 20 ga. needle and collecting drops in a 96 well microtiter plate. 3 ⁇ l aliquots were analyzed on a 1% agarose mini-gel.
  • Fractions containing the protein C DNA fragment were pooled and ethanol precipitated overnight at -20°C in 0.3M sodium acetate. DNA pellets were resuspended in 50-100 ⁇ l UHP water and quantitated by i luorimetry.
  • the protein C expression unit was diluted in Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline without calcium and magnesium (containing, per liter, 0.2 g KC1 , 0.2 g KH; PO , 8.0 g NaCl, 1.15 g Na 2 HP0 4 ) or in TE (10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 7.5) . DNA concentration is adjusted to about 6 ⁇ g/ml, prior to injection into the eggs ("2 pi total ENA solution per egg) .
  • Recipient females of 6-8 weeks of age are prepared by mating B6CBAF1 females in natural estru ⁇ with vasectomized males. Females possessing copulation plugs are then kept for transfer of microinjected eggs.
  • tail biopsies are taken, under anesthesia, at four weeks of age. Tissue samples are placed in 2 ml of tail buffer (0.3 M Na acetate, 50 mM NaCl, 1.5 mM MgCl2, L0 mM Tris- HCl, pH 8.5, 0.5% NP40, 0.5% Tween 20) containing 200 ⁇ g/ml proteinase K (Boehringer Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany) and vortexed. The samples are shaken (250 rpm) at 55°-60°c for 3 hours to overnight. DNA prepared from biopsy samples is examined for the presence of the injected constructs by PCR and Southern blotting.
  • the digested tissue is vigorously vortexed, and 5 ⁇ l aliquots are placed in 0.5 ml microcentrifuge tubes. Positive and negative tail samples are included as controls . Forty ⁇ l of silicone oil (BDH, Poole, UK) is added to each tube, and the tubes are briefly centrifuged. The tubes are incubated in the heating block of a thermal c cler (e.g. Omni-gene, Hybaid, Teddington, UK) to 95°C for 10 minutes.
  • a thermal c cler e.g. Omni-gene, Hybaid, Teddington, UK
  • each tube has a 45 11 aliquot of PCR mix added such that the final composition of each reaction mix is: 50 mM KC1; 2 mM MgCl 2 ; 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.3) ; 0.01% gelatin; 0.1% NP40, 10% DMSO; 500 nM each primer, 200 IM dNTPs; 0.02 U/ll Taq polymerase (Boehringer Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany) .
  • the tubes are then cycled through 30 repeated temperature changes as required by the particular primers used.
  • the primers may be varied but in all cases must target the BLG promoter region. This is specific for the injected DNA fragments because the mouse does not have a BLG gene.
  • DNA samples are processed to obtain pure DNA.
  • the DNA samples are screened by Southern blotting using a BLG promoter probe (nucleotides 2523-4253 of SEQ ID NO: 7) .
  • Example 4 Donor ewes are treated with an intravaginal progesterone-impregnated sponge (CHRONOGEST Goat Sponge, Intervet, Cambridge, UK) on day 0. Sponges are left in si tu for ten or twelve days.
  • CHRONOGEST Goat Sponge Intervet, Cambridge, UK
  • Superovulation is induced by treatment of donor ewes with a total of one unit of ovine follicle stimulating hormone (OFSH) (OVAGEN, Horizon Animal Reproduction Technology Pty. Ltd. , New Zealand) administered in eight intramuscular injectio s of 0.125 units per injection starting at 5:00 pm on day -4 and ending at 8:00 am on day 0.
  • Donors are injected intramuscularly with 0.5 ml of a luteolytic agent (ESTRUMATE, Vet-Drug) on day -4 to cause regression of the corpus luteum, to allow return to estrus and ovulation.
  • ESTRUMATE a luteolytic agent
  • Vet-Drug synthetic releasing hormone analog
  • Donors are starved of food and waiter for at least 12 hours before artificial insemination (A.I.) .
  • the animals are artificially inseminated by intrauterine laparoscopy under sedation and local anesthesia on day 1.
  • Either xylazine (ROMPUN, Vet-Drug) at a dose rate of 0.05- 0.1 ml per 10 kg bodyweight or ACP injection 10 mg/ml (Vet-Drug) at a dose rate of 0.1 ml per 10 kg bodyweight is injected intramuscularly approximately fifteen minutes before A.I. to provide sedation.
  • A.I. is carried out using freshly collected semen from a Poll Dorset ram.
  • Semen is diluted with equal parts of filtered phosphate buffered saline, and 0.2 ml of the diluted semen is injected per uterine horn.
  • Fertilized eggs are recovered on day 2 following starvation of donors of food and water from 5:00 pm on day 1. Recovery is carried out under general anesthesia induced by an intravenous injection of 5% thiopentone sodium (INTRAVAL SODIUM, Vet-Drug) at a dose rate of 3 ml per 10 kg bodyweight. Anesthesia is maintained by inhalation of 1-2% Halothane/0 2 /N 0. To recover the fertilized eggs, a laparotomy incision is made, and the uterus is exteriorized. The eggs are recovered by retrograde flushing of the oviducts with Ovum Culture Medium (Advanced Protein Products, Brierly Hill, West Midlands, UK) supplemented with bovine serum albumin of New Zealand origin.
  • Ovum Culture Medium Advanced Protein Products, Brierly Hill, West Midlands, UK
  • Donors are allowed to recover post-operatively or are euthanized. Donors that are allowed to recover are given an intramuscular injection of Amoxypen L.A. at the manufacturer's recommended dose rate immediately pre- or post-operatively.
  • Plasmids containing the protein C DNA are digested with Mlu I, and the expression unit fragments are recovered and purified on sucrose density gradients.
  • the fragment concentrations are determined by fluorimetry and diluted in Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline without calcium and magnesium or TE as described above. The concentration is adjusted to 6 lg/ml, and approximately 2 pi of the mixture is microinjected into one pronucleus of each fertilized eggs with visible pronuclei.
  • Osmolarity should be 265-285 mOsm. Add 2.5 ml of heat inactivated sheep serum and filter sterilize.
  • Recipient ewes are treated with an intravaginal progesterone-impregnated sponge (Chronogest Ewe Sponge or Chronogest Ewe-Lamb Sponge, Intervet) left in si tu for 10 or 12 days.
  • the ewes are injected intramuscularly with 1.5 ml (300 iu) of a follicle stimulating hormone substitute (P.M.S.G., Intervet) and with 0.5 ml of a luteolytic agent (Estrumate, Coopers Pitman-Moore) at sponge removal on day -1.
  • the ewes are tested for estrus with a vasectomized ram between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on days 0 and 1.
  • Embryos surviving in vitro culture are returned to recipients (starved from 5:00 pm on day 5 or 6) on day 6 or 7.
  • Embryo transfer is carried out under general anesthesia as described above.
  • the uterus is exteriorized via a laparotomy incision with or without laparoscopy.
  • Embryos are returned to one or both uterine horns only in ewes with at least one suitable corpora lutea. After replacement of the uterus, the abdomen is closed, and the recipients are allowed to recover.
  • the animals are given an intramuscular injection of Amoxypen L.A. at the manufacturer's recommended dose rate immediately pre- or post-operatively.
  • Lambs are identified by ear tags and left with their dams for rearing. Ewes and lambs are either housed and fed complete diet concentrates and other supplements and or ad lib. hay, or are let out to grass.
  • each lamb is tested for the presence of the heterologous DNA by two sampling procedures. Following tail biopsy, within a week, a 10 ml blood sample is taken from the jugular vein into an EDTA vacutainer. Tissue samples are taken by tail biopsy as soon as possible after the tail has become desensitized after the application of a rubber elastrator ring to its proximal third (usually within 200 minutes after "tailing") . The tissue is placed immediately in a solution of tail buffer. Tail samples are kept at room temperature and analyzed on the day of collection. All lambs are given an intramuscular injection of Amoxypen L.A. at the manufacturer's recommended dose rate immediately post-biopsy, and the cut end of _:he tail is sprayed with an antibiotic spray.
  • DNA is extracted from sheep blood by first separating white blood cells.
  • a 10 ml sample of blood is diluted in 20 ml of Hank's buffered saline (HBS; obtained from Sigma Chemical Co. ) .
  • HBS Hank's buffered saline
  • Ten ml of the diluted blood is layered over 5 ml of Histopaque (Sigma) in each of two 15 ml screw-capped tubes.
  • the tubes are centrifuged at 3000 rpm (2000 x g max.) , low brake for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  • White cell interfaces are removed to a clean 15 ml tube and diluted to 15 ml in HBS.
  • the d luted cells are spun at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes at room temperature, and the cell pellet is recovered and resuspended in 2-5 ml of tail buffer.
  • DNA is extracted from the white cells.
  • 10% SDS is added to the resuspended cells to a final concentration of 1%, and the tube is inverted to mix the solution.
  • One mg of fresh proteinase K solution is added, and the mixture is incubated overnight at 45°C.
  • DNA is extracted using an equal volume of phenol/chloroform (x3) and chloroform/isoamyl alcohol (xl) .
  • the DNA is then precipitated by adding 0.1 volume of 3 M NaOAc and 2 volumes of ethanol, and the tube is inverted to mix. The precipitated DNA is spooled out using a clean glass rod with a sealed end.
  • the spool is washed in 70% ethanol, and the DNA is allowed to partially dry, then is redissolved in TE (10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA, pH 7.5) .
  • DNA samples from blood and tail are analyzed by Southern blotting using probes for the BLG promoter region and the protein C coding regions .
  • Recombinant transgenic protein C was purified from milk (from 30851) by a single chromatography step using a calcium-dependent monoclonal antibody affinity column. Briefly, the milk samples were pooled up to a volume of 40 ml. Two volumes of ice-cold 1 X TBS (50 mM Tris-HCl, 150 mM NaCl pH 6.5) and 200 mM EDTA, pH 6.5 were added to solubilise the caseins.
  • the EDTA-treated milk solution was centrifuged at 15,000 rpm for 30 minutes at 4°C in a JA20 rotor (Beckman Instruments, Irvine, CA) . After centrifugation, the upper lipid phase and the small pellet were discarded.
  • the EDTA-treated milk was diluted with an equal volume of ice-cold 1 X TBS and 133 mM CaCl 2 while stirring. A cloudy precipitate formed upon addition of the CaCl 2 .
  • the pH was quickly adjusted by addition of a few drops of 4 M NaOH, and the precipitate was redissolved. Any remaining insoluble material was removed by filtration through a 0.45 ⁇ m filter.
  • the optical density of the solubilised milk was measured at 280 nm, and the protein concentration was calculated.
  • the milk was diluted to a protein concentration of 10 mg/ml using 1 X TBS containing CaCl to give a final Ca ++ concentration of 25 mM.
  • the milk was used to resuspend antibody-Sepharose that carried the immobilized Ca ++ -dependent monoclonal antibody PCL-2, and had been washed in 1 X TBS and 25 mM CaCl 2 •
  • PCL-2 is a monoclonal antibody that binds single chain and two chain protein C, whether or not they are gamma-carboxylated.
  • the milk-Sepharose mixture was incubated overnight at 4°C.
  • the matrix was washed twice in batch with 1 x TBS and 25 mM CaCl 2 and packed into a glass column.
  • the resin was washed at a flow rate of 1 ml/min with a calcium containing buffer and a stable baseline was achieved before the bound protein was eluted with an isocratic elution using 1 X TBS and 25 mM EDTA, pH 6.5.
  • Fractions containing protein C were pooled and concentrated to approximately 1 ml using an Amicon ultrafil ration unit with a 10 kDa cut-off membrane (Amicon, Danver , MA) .
  • the monoclonal antibody, PCL-2 was coupled to the activated Sepharose 4B as follows: 1 g (3.5 ml of gel) of cyanogen bromide activated Sepharose 4B (Pharmacia LKB Biotechnology, Piscataway, NJ) was swollen fo- 15 minutes in 1 mM HCl . The swollen gel was resuspended in 0.1 M NaHC0 3 , 0.5 M NaCl pH 8.3 and washed several times. The washed gel was resuspended in 11 ml of monoclonal antibody solution (PCL-2, 3.5 mg/ml in bicarbonate bui fer pH 8.3) with a coupling ratio of approximately 10 mg/ml gel.
  • PCL-2 monoclonal antibody solution
  • Coupling was allowed to proceed for 2 h at room temperature on a rotary mixer, and the gel was recovered by gentle centrifugation. The monoclonal supernatant was removed and replaced by 1 M ethanolamine in order to block any remaining sites on the Sepharose. Blocking was performed overnight at 4°C. Excess adsorbed protein was removed by sequential acid and alkali washes (0.1 M acetate, 0.5 M NaCl pH 4.0; 0.1 M NaHC0 3 , 0.5 M NaCl pH 8.3) , and the coupled gel was stored in 50 mM Tris-HCl, 150 mM NaCl pH 6.5, 0.02% azide.
  • Samples of purified recombinant transgenic protein C were compared with plasma-derived protein C and a plasma-derived activated protein C (APC) preparations. Samples were run on SDS PAGE 4-20% acrylami.de gradient gels under reducing conditions and silver stained for protein.
  • the plasma-derived material shows the presence of a heavy-chain doublet around 44 kDa ( Figure 1, Lane 1) . This has been reported to be due to partial occupancy of the three possible N-linked glycosylation sites on the molecule. A similar doublet, although of a slightly lower mass presumably due to some subtle change in glycosylation profile, has also been seen with the transgenic protein C. The light chain was visible around 22 kDa for both preparations.
  • the purified transgenic protein C was further characterized as follows: A. ELI£&
  • An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for protein C was done as follows: Affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to human protein C (100 ⁇ l of 1 ⁇ g/ml in 0.1 M Na 2 C >3, pH 9.6) was added to each well of a 96- well microtiter plate, and the plates were incubated overnight at 4°C. The wells were then washed three times with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing 0.05% Tween-20 and incubated with 100 ⁇ l of 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) , 0.05% Tween-20 in PBS at 4°C overnight. The plates were then rinsed several times with PBS, air dried and stored at 4°C.
  • PBS phosphate buffered saline
  • BSA bovine serum albumin
  • Amino-terminal sequencing of the transgenic material was performed to ascertain the extent of prosequence removal and to evaluate the presence of gamma- carboxylation.
  • N- terminal sequencing of protein C obtained frorr transgenic milk should have contained only the latter two sequences if correct processing had occurred at both of the cleavage sites. Amino-terminal sequencing would have also been expected to reveal the presence of gamma-carbcxylation in the light chain.
  • the protein sequence of the transgenic-derived protein C precursor had been modified with an Arg-Arg-Lys- Arg (SEQ ID NO: 20) cleavage site between the light and heavy chains to promote more efficient cleavage of the single chain to 2-chain form.
  • Western blot analysis of the transgenic protein C milk and examination of the purified protein C on reducing gels had already confirmed that efficient cleavage had occurred.
  • the two basic amino acids at the carboxy- terminus of the light chain are trimmed back by a basic carboxypeptide .
  • the transgenic protein C material (6 nmol of protein or 144 pmol of thiol) was reductively alkylated as follows: 0.5 mg of protein C (by ELISA) in 0.5 ml of TBS was added to 50 ⁇ l of 1 M Tris pH 8.0, 450 ⁇ _. water, 570 mg guanidinium chloride, and 10 ⁇ l at 50 mg/ml DTT (0.3 ⁇ mol representing a 20 fold excess of added thiol over cysteine thiol . The mixture was incubated for 2 hours at 37°C.
  • the optimum conditions for separation of the heavy and light chains were determined to be: solvent A (0.1% TFA) and solvent B (100% acetonitrile) at a flow of 0.5 ml/min with a detector wavelength of 215 nm and a gradient of 30 to 60% solvent B over 60 min. Fractions were collected across the eluted peaks, and samples (10 ⁇ l) were analyzed by SDS PAGE on 4- 20% gradient acrylamide gels under non-reducing conditions. The light chain (fractions 3 to 5) was completely resolved from both the heavy chain (fractions 7 to 9) and a single fraction (6) which contained a mixture of heavy chain and what appeared to be unglycosylated light chain.
  • a sample containing fully resolved light chain was prepared for deglycosylation by centrifugal evaporation under reduced pressure at room temperature.
  • Deglycosylation was carried out using peptide N-glycanase (PNGase; Oxford Glycosystems, Oxford, UK) .
  • PNGase peptide N-glycanase
  • the protein sample was redissolved in 50 ⁇ l of buffer and incubated overnight with 1 unit (5 ⁇ l) PNGase, according to manufacturer's specifications.
  • the light chain was purified from reduced and alkylated plasma-derived protein C by the same method and deglycosylated for further analysis.
  • the solvent system contained buffer A (0.1% formic acid) , buffer B (0.1% formic acid and a 5:2 (v/v) mixture of ethanol to propan-1-ol) .
  • the gradient used was from 5-60% buffer B over 35 minutes at a flow rate of 25 ⁇ l per minute.
  • the outflow of the column was linked via a UV detector to the mass spectrometer which was run in positive-ion mode.
  • the purified and deglycosylated transgenic light chain was analyzed and gave a relatively weak spectrum which was reconstructed to give two components with masses of 18,911.0 and 18,971.0.
  • the plasma light chain was also analyzed and gave a stronger signal with a single major component.
  • the spectrum of the plasma light chain was reconstructed to give a single mass of 18,970.0.
  • the predicted mass for the light ch ⁇ .in carrying nine gamma-carboxy glutamic acids, one ⁇ -hydrcxy aspartic acid and seventeen carbamidomethyl cysteine residues and ending with Leu ⁇ 55 was 18966.9723, which is very close to the masses detected for the transgenic (18,971.0) and plasma-derived (18,970.0) light chains.
  • the small differences in mass were well within the accuracy limitations for this instrument, particularly with the LC delivery. This shows that the mass of the redirectively- alkylated and deglycosylated transgenic light chain is essentially identical to that for the plasma-derived protein C.
  • transgenic protein C The activity of the transgenic protein C was compared with that of the plasma-derived material in a coagulation assay. First each sample of protein C, quantitated by amino acid composition analysis, was activated by incubation with Protac, a snake venom
  • results show that the sheep-derived transgenic protein C is correctly post-translationally processed, with respect to gamma-carboxylation and probably beta-hydroxylation, and has anticoagulant activity fully equivalent to a high quality purified plasma standard.
  • results demonstrate that the C- terminal processing of the light chain, with the modified RRKR cleavage site rather than the naturally occurring KR site, has the two extra basic amino acids removed along with the natural ones .
  • CAGTATCTCC ACGACCCGCC CCTGTGAGTC CCCCTCCAGG CAGGTCTATG AGGGGTGTGG 720
  • AAACATCCTG GCACCCTCTC CACTGCA ⁇ C TGGAGCTGCT TTCTAGGCAG GCAGTGTGAG 1920 CTCAGCCCCA CGTAGAGCGG GCAGCCGAGG CC ⁇ CTGAGG CTATGTCTCT AGCGAACAAG 1980
  • GAG GAG CTC CGT CAC AGC AGC CTG GAG CGG GAG TGC ATA GAG GAG ATC 3582
  • GCA G GTGAGAAGCC CCCAATACAT CGCCCAGGAA TCACGCTGGG TGCGGGGTGG 5634
  • AAAACGCCAG AAAGGCCTAA GCCTATGCCC ATATGACCAG GGAACCCAGG AAAGTGCATA 9195
  • GAG CTC CGT CAC AGC AGC CTG GAG CGG GAG TGC ATA GAG GAG ATC TGT 192
  • GAG TCC AAG AAG CTC CTT GTC AGG C ⁇ GGA GAG TAT GAC CTG CGG CGC 816 Glu Ser Lys Lys Leu Leu Val Arg Leu Gly Glu Tyr Asp Leu Arg Arg 260 265 270
  • MOLECULE TYPE protein
  • xi SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID N0:4.
  • GGTGTCATGT CATCTGCAAA CAGTGGCAGT ⁇ TCC ⁇ C ⁇ CCCTTCCAAC CTGG/TTTCT 720
  • CTGCCCCACG TCCTGGGCAC ACACATGGGG TAGGGGGTCT TGGTGGGGCC TGGGACCCCA 8400
  • CTGCGGCTCT ⁇ GAAAC ⁇ T CAGGAACCAG GGAGGGACTC GGCAGAGACA TCTGCCAG ⁇ 5040

Landscapes

  • Preparation Of Compounds By Using Micro-Organisms (AREA)
  • Micro-Organisms Or Cultivation Processes Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur des techniques de production de protéine C chez des mammifères non humains transgéniques. La protéine C est modifiée, sur le site de clivage des deux chaînes, entre les chaînes légère et lourde de la protéine C de Lys - Arg en R1-R2-R3-R4, où R1-R2-R3-R4 représentent, individuellement, Arg ou Lys. Des segments d'ADN codant une protéine C modifiée sont introduits dans le germen de mammifères non humains et le mammifère ou sa progéniture femelle produit du lait contenant la protéine C exprimée à partir des segments d'ADN introduits. La protéine C exprimée à partir des segments d'ADN introduits présente une activité anticoagulante, une fois activée. L'invention porte également sur des embryons de mammifères non humains ainsi que sur des mammifères transgéniques non humains porteurs de segments d'ADN codant une protéine C hétérologue.
EP96940607A 1995-11-30 1996-11-26 Production de proteine c chez des animaux transgeniques Expired - Lifetime EP0874898B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US19692 1987-02-27
US565074 1990-08-09
US56507495A 1995-11-30 1995-11-30
US1969296P 1996-06-13 1996-06-13
PCT/US1996/018866 WO1997020043A1 (fr) 1995-11-30 1996-11-26 Production de proteine c chez des animaux transgeniques

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0874898A1 true EP0874898A1 (fr) 1998-11-04
EP0874898B1 EP0874898B1 (fr) 2006-05-24

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EP96940607A Expired - Lifetime EP0874898B1 (fr) 1995-11-30 1996-11-26 Production de proteine c chez des animaux transgeniques

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0874898B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2000501928A (fr)
AT (1) ATE327324T1 (fr)
AU (1) AU1024697A (fr)
DE (1) DE69636172T2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111296364A (zh) * 2019-10-27 2020-06-19 上海莱士血液制品股份有限公司 一种基因改造的非人类动物及其应用

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023171719A1 (fr) * 2022-03-08 2023-09-14 学校法人自治医科大学 Séquence de protéine c activée

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9720043A1 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111296364A (zh) * 2019-10-27 2020-06-19 上海莱士血液制品股份有限公司 一种基因改造的非人类动物及其应用
CN111296364B (zh) * 2019-10-27 2022-06-24 上海莱士血液制品股份有限公司 一种基因改造的小鼠动物模型基因改造方法及其应用

Also Published As

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EP0874898B1 (fr) 2006-05-24
DE69636172D1 (de) 2006-06-29
ATE327324T1 (de) 2006-06-15
JP2000501928A (ja) 2000-02-22
DE69636172T2 (de) 2007-03-15
AU1024697A (en) 1997-06-19

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